Blink

I've just finished listening to a book called Blink by Malcom Gladwell that I really enjoyed. Blink is about "thin slicing," the concept of making snap decisions about people, things, and situations (literally in the "blink" of an eye).

We thin slice probably hundreds or thousands of times every day, and this very human process has both positive and negative implications. Often we may be completely unaware that we are judging things this way. For example, what do you think artificial coloring does for sales of margarine? How about the shape of ice cream packaging?

What I loved about this book is that it kept getting better as it went along. It's pretty wide-spanning in the topics it covers. Here are a few I found especially interesting. (Don't worry, no spoilers.)

The Pepsi Challenge. Why do people prefer Pepsi in a sip test? Why did New Coke, which was especially designed to beat The Pepsi Challenge, fail miserably as a product?

The Aeron chair. When this chair debuted in 1994 it was seen as a joke - ugly and backwards. How has it transformed into an office symbol?

Truth and Information. Can psychologists listen to a married couple arguing and determine if the marriage is doomed? Does information like a patient's race and background help doctors more accurately diagnose problems--or will it make predictions worse? Do your facial expressions reveal if you're lying?

Kenna. This young artist immediately caught the attention of high-ups in the music industry including Fred Durst, who heard his music and immediately told his label to "Sign him." Kenna sold out a performance hall on 24 hour advance notice. People love him... so why do focus groups rate his songs dismally?

Police Error. In 2003, an unarmed 23 year old immigrant was shot 41 times outside his home in The Bronx by four NYPD officers. The officers were acquitted unanimously on murder charges. What happpened that night? Did the police make grave mistakes or is this just an unfortunate result of the way our system works?

And there's a whole lot more. I think it's a fascinating book. If you haven't read it yet, I strongly recommend checking it out.

---

Post a Comment